So I don't derail Beyond's thread. XD

[Mitera Nikkou]

I hope that you don't mind me derailing this a bit more, Beyond. XD;; If you do mind... Draw me as a kitten and eat me. @_@ (I could have deleted this part, but... Eh. ^_^; )

Okay, here's my opinion about "how to" stuff. As far as style goes? That's observational, and you can pick it up for free and practice to capture that style. Otherwise, the best help for any artist is in learning how to use tools, knowing how they can be used, and to what effects. That's something that is necessary (even for a simple tool, such as a pencil), and anyone can understand with application. Other than that, no one but yourself can improve your work insofar as having the skill to transfer an intended outcome from your mind and through your hands (usually ;p) while using said tools. Lots of trial and error (usually), to be sure.

For instance, I'm accustomed to using automatic pencils on paper, not non-ball-point pens on a plastic surface that's one-fifth of the size of the screen that it effects. Essentially, I've been having to learn to glide a different material for a tip on a different surface using one-fifth of the usual movement without the elbow support I'm also accustomed to having. X_X I don't do too bad otherwise, seeing as I have little experience with other tools outside of standard pencils and pens. However, I did get in a lot of practice with pencils and pens a while back, with and without reference material. So I tend to do better with that... Same with cartoon animals, since much of my practice (a long time ago) included characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, as well as Looney Tunes and other such stuff.

And stuff. Learning techniques for using tools is the easy part. The rest just takes practice, which includes keeping focus on what it is that you want to draw. Focus is something that I severely lack in...

[Beyond]

Actually, the "how to" books are pretty usefull when it comes to suggest you techniques: perpective, backgrounds, tones, and even basic structures... but it's up to you to choose what you think it's the most usefull technique.

I have changed my technique many times and it has improved in time to allow me to draw very fast, even when it comes to digital painting I try to do it as fast as I can, I guess if I give it more time it would come out better, but that's how I am.

About my style... well... For chibis I guess it's a mix from "normal" chibis and kid's structure since I tend to use 3 to 4 heads. And normal stature, well... I don't know... err... normal?

My tools of trade? hb and 2b pencils and a cheap eraser over recycled bond papers

[Mistress Guendolen]

See, technique is what I use those books for. When I first decided I wanted to learn how to draw anime-manga style (it was inevitable, I think, given how sucked-into the fandom I got), I started out just trying to follow what I saw in pictures and videos and so forth. But it simply never got me anywear. I didn't want to just copy; I wanted to know the whys and wheretofores, etc. Copying without knowing seldom teaches you much. The art books gave me the explanations and tips and the lift I needed. Then I could take those techniques and apply them to original work with greater effect, and thus progress far better from there.

[Stellar]

Technique... Hmm... The Stellar one has no technique. I'll nab, read, or look at whatever it takes to get a sketch to be a photocopy of what's in my mind. Usually though... I'll have an idea for something in general, but when I try to draw it I realize that the character in question needs to be doing more then just standing... So pose is my biggest obsticle.

I suppose so many different sources is why people have told me, that 'my style so adverse', I don't think of that as a bad thing, but as the artist, I don't see how they're so different.

My utensils... um I have a .5 mm mechanical pencil, I use pilot precision ball points for inking, and have very limited photoshop skills wich since it's so limited takes me days to color anything. Oh, and I can't forget my awesome erasers.

[Neige]

How to books are a good start but, truthfully, a better read can be found on the internet, first off free rocks, second off, updates are even nicer. And most of the time it's a lot of searching pages, and then having to put something on it to hold the book open. Then again I'm not 100% sure on a good learning method, I'm ...self taught >>;;;

The supplies I have grown recently, though I've yet to really use or explore them. I've got possibly the best pencil ever created, it's called a sumogrip, I bought a bunch of them just to be sure I'll always have one incase of an accident x.x;. I grabbed a .5, .7 and a .9 each loaded with HB lead, then an extra of each with 3B. Soon I hope to make use of the other pencils...also I happened upon a huge colored pencil set, yet my cruddy schedule has kept me from it, so I'm usually just stuck with computer coloring. *shrugs* BTW, I love your art Beyond *showers him with confetti!*

[Mitera Nikkou]

Beyond & Gwen:

That's what I meant by learning techniques with tools. ^_^; Unlike technique, style is a personal beast one must master on their own. *Nods sagely*

[Zeph]

Beyond & Gwen:

That's what I meant by learning techniques with tools. ^_^; Unlike technique, style is a personal beast one must master on their own. *Nods sagely*

Style is one's own, but it's incredibly helpful, I find, to emulate a style. You can see all the little details and make some of them your own.

[Mitera Nikkou]

I didn't miss that in my post either, Zeph. XD (Not the one before this one, but in my first post.)

[P-tan]

Paradox regrets bringing up "how to" books*

It's too frustrating!!!grr.. I'm not yet interested in programs like photoshop yet. THESE books are soooo hard!! grrrr!
They don't expect me to waste time by drawing models first and then erase?!grrr!

My style sadly is stickmen...(laugh at me)
But I'm very good with stickmen!!
holds pride in something you can make in less than 3 seconds*

(I'm a failure...for those who don't know, you can ridicule me cuz I skimmed over the books )

[Kuda]

Paradox regrets bringing up "how to" books*

It's too frustrating!!!grr.. I'm not yet interested in programs like photoshop yet. THESE books are soooo hard!! grrrr!
They don't expect me to waste time by drawing models first and then erase?!grrr!

My style sadly is stickmen...(laugh at me)
But I'm very good with stickmen!!
holds pride in something you can make in less than 3 seconds*

(I'm a failure...for those who don't know, you can ridicule me cuz I skimmed over the books )

well, since you're good at drawing stickmen, you're at least one step closer to being sable to draw figures, you just have add a bit more detail to the stickmen.

[Stellar]

P-tan, wich book's are you looking at? That might be the problem.

And yes, drawing good anime (from my experience at least) requires much erasing. To get good postures, poses and inertia on clothes and hair you have to start with the base naked person, then add clothes and details. But the end result is usually fufilling enough to go through these processes.

And need I remind you all of the success of stickdeath.com? Keep it up P-tan, you too can be that awesome with only your stick figures =)

[Mistress Guendolen]

Um, has it ever occurred to you that the reason you can't draw is because you refuse to "waste time" actually practicing? As so many of us have been saying, art is not a magical ability that some people inherently have and some don't. If you truly want to be better, you must be willing to actually invest time and effort in it. Nobody's going to just hand you the skill, nor will you wake up one morning and magically have a talent that you didn't before. So keep playing with those little stick figures you take such pride in. It's a step. Start trying to fill them out. One step at a time. If this is something you really want to do, it is not a "waste of time." It's a journey.

Paradox regrets bringing up "how to" books*

It's too frustrating!!!grr.. I'm not yet interested in programs like photoshop yet. THESE books are soooo hard!! grrrr!
They don't expect me to waste time by drawing models first and then erase?!grrr!

My style sadly is stickmen...(laugh at me)
But I'm very good with stickmen!!
holds pride in something you can make in less than 3 seconds*

(I'm a failure...for those who don't know, you can ridicule me cuz I skimmed over the books )

[Mitera Nikkou]

Actually, one day I did wake up and suddenly got good at physical activities.

I'm not helping the argument, am I? <.<;

[Stellar]

Of course you are Nikkou, but just the opposing side of the argument =P